PdxMan

I would just get some chocolate protein powder, make it as directed and add PB.

Hmmm ... p!$$ off the surgeon and medical team before the operation ... Yeah ... good luck with that. I had everything laid out before I had my date. Pretty common. I have had 3 surgeries since my VSG, and that is pretty standard. I know exactly what I am paying and what insurance is or isn't covering. It's all in writing. Any confusion, show the paperwork.

I'm just a few years behind you ... Take a look at my pictures in the Gallery under my profile and you can decide for yourself which way I would rather be. For me, it's a no-brainer.

It really depends on your activity level. If you are sitting on the couch at night and behind a desk all day, then I would try to stay around 40-50. As you increase your activity, you will need to increase your carbs to support it. Try to stay with the good carbs from veggies and the like. When I was running, I would try to get in somewhere in the 100 to 130 range. I did this and was able to get under goal.

My name is PDXMan and I am an alcoholic. One of the toughest phrases I ever uttered, but one that has saved my life. As has been mentioned, AA has been the program I have used to keep me sober. You may wonder, "How does AA keep me from drinking?" It doesn't. It shows you how to live life on life's terms. Once you start doing that, you see that you don't need alcohol or drugs anymore. For me, alcohol isn't my problem. I am my problem. Alcohol was my solution. Until it wasn't anymore. If it is no longer your solution, then try finding one that has worked for millions. All it takes is some willingness to make a change. That's it. And showing up ... BTW, it also works for other drugs of choices, too. It's a scary thought, not having your coping mechanism around, but it just might work.

Sugar contains a lot of empty calories, so the answer really lies within you. What are you willing to sacrifice for your weightloss? Early out, I couldn't tolerate anything too sugary. Just didn't taste good. Then, Halloween came around and I started to tolerate it more. I wish that never happened, but ... it is one of my weaknesses. But, I didn't get this surgery to cut out all of my vices, so, I am OK with that. Plus, I was exercising like crazy, so I could afford the extra calories. If you decide to have sugar regularly in your diet, you forfeit the right to cry and moan about losing weight slower than you expect. If that is not OK with you, then you will need to cut out sugars as much as possible. It really is your journey and what your expectation are.

Pre-sleeve, they were great. Post-sleeve, they were too sweet. I drink the Premier Protein shakes from Costco/Sam's Club.

I'm a boy, but the advice I've read and followed is the same. Whenever you feel up to it. Just no gymnastics. Ever hear of scissor position? Works great.

Yup, that is about what I experienced, too. One thing it illustrates for me is how little we actually need to sustain ourselves. What we eat and what are body absorbs are two different things. Even if we sit down and eat 5,000 calories, it doesn't mean our bodies actually absorb all 5,000 calories. Even "normal" people do not absorb all the calories they consume. My wife has always been a healthy, slender weight and I eat about one third the quantity she does. Just went to the Dr and my blood work is fabulous and I feel great. Bottom line, it is time to get into our heads our new "normal". The portions we used to eat is nowhere near "normal" and I am discovering that even "normal" portions are still larger than what our bodies actually need.

Many, MANY folks have found Premier Protein shakes work for them. I, like you, tried several different ready-to-drink shakes and powders. Premier is by far the best one for me. You can get them at costco or Sam's Club. Do a search on this site for Premier Protein. There are many threads discussing it.

I surf the site without logging in sometimes. It depends on the computer that I am coming in from. All these assumptions ... are they doing anyone any good? And if they haven't come back, does it invalidate the story? Do you really think this is the only leak story out there? I can only take it on the word of my NUT, but she told us a story of a patient who died a week post op after eating a steak. Is it true? It wasn't her own story, but I do believe her. Doesn't invalidate the fact there are complications some of which are not as bad as the OP and some are even worse.

Mine was $10,400, cash in Las Vegas (baby!). Stayed at the Golden Nugget ($45/night), rented a car ($150) and enjoyed a little time in the desert. It was great.

Then keep to the facts. Where do they state that it was last May? You are making assumptions. Try to read the story from a non-cynical point of view.

Kendra, everyone should be able to post their stories and not be berated for doing so. This is their experience with the sleeve and while it is very uncommon, it is a risk. People researching the sleeve should know this and be totally informed. While you are stating your opinion, the OP also has the right to state theirs. Everybody's life stories are different. Some people are completely content being morbidly obese. Some people have tried dozens of weightloss options failing them miserably (me). We all have our reasons to either have surgery or try other means to live a healthier life. "Normal" people are usually ignorant of these struggles. I know my wife was and I am quite happy that she is ignorant of these struggles. I wouldn't wish them on anyone.

I am sorry to hear about your sister. Leaks are just one of the known risks of this surgery, and was a risk I was willing to take given the percentages of complications. Everyone has their own reasons for having the surgery and each of us has our own risk tolerance. If your risk tolerance is very low, then I agree, don't have any surgeries. But, for myself, my quality of life was going downhill fast. A complication of a leak or otherwise was just another risk of being morbidly obese. I was willing to take the chance to fall into the 97% of patients who don't have these types of complications. Again, I am sorry to hear about your sister and I will keep her in my thoughts.

I was not covered, either. Took a second on the house. Have it paid off already with all of the medical and food savings. Try to figure a way to pay for it if you can. It was so worth it for me.

Since this is such a common syndrome, do you have any advice for newbies?

Talk to your NUT regarding the kind of Protein is best for you. Do a search on this site for Protein shots. A lot of folks on here have said their (and mine) NUT directed them towards whey protein. It is the quickest absorption. Protein shots usually contain very little whey protein and are mostly casein protein, which is a slower release and good for body builders, but not so much for us. I had to go through several brands of Protein shakes before I found one that worked for me. I settled with Premier Protein from costco. You can also get them at Sams. They are not too sweet and are ready to drink. They work for me.

Hello and welcome to VST. After reading your post, my first thought was ... you have researched the band and are convinced that is the best bariatric surgery for you? Really? I, too, started my research thinking lap band as I didn't want to have things re-routed (RNY) or stomach removed. But as I researched the band, I learned that would have been a disasterous choice for me. All the stories about slipping and having to constantly go in for adjustments. Needing adjustments because I would have been throwing up, having reflux or the other extreme, not losing weight because the size was too large. Then to top it all off, the band scars and damages the stomach. Permanently. How was I going to fix that? Bypass (RNY) wasn't ever a choice as I did not want my intestines re-routed. God laid them out the way he wanted. I wasn't going to argue that point with him. Also, the pyloric valve doesn't operate naturally, either. Yes, it passes stomach excretions through, but that doesn't help the body decide when to pass food into the intestines. Malabsorption issues for the rest of my life ... no thank you. Bowel obstructions ... not for me. Pouch stretched back to large enough size so I gain most if not all the weight back ... well, I think you get my point. So, I researched the sleeve. In it's most basic form, all that is being done is making my stomach smaller by taking the stretchy part of the stomach out. I could argue this point with God. "Hey, love the stomach, but I am having issues with the amount of food I am eating, so I'm just going to make it a bit smaller ... well, maybe more than just a bit." But it works for me. That is all that happened. Take the existing stomach and make it smaller. Leave all the plumbing in the right place and have everything functional. Sounds perfect, eh? For me, it is. I can eat anything and everything, just in smaller portions. Pre-sleeve, my thing was feeling full. I love feeling full. I always ate until I was FULL. You know what? Same is true today, I just get full a whole heck of a lot faster. I go out to dinner with my wife and we split a meal. And take home leftovers. Recovery time for me was pretty quick. I had outpatient surgery on Friday and was back to work three quarters time by Wednesday, full time the next Monday. My pre-op diet was a two week "Lean-and-Green" plan. I had a Protein shake for breakfast/lunch and a salad with some lean meat: chicken/shrimp/pork ... whatever. And I'm not talking about a side salad, either. I was using mixing bowls and loaded it with carrots, broccoli and everything. Huge salads and sometimes a whole can of tuna. Hey, my doc said lean and green, he never mentioned size. For snacking, I was allowed a shake. I lost 10 pounds pre-op and afterwards he commented on how awesome my liver looked and how easy it was to work around. So, I know you're scared as this is a huge decision. Myself, I needed a permanent, fundamental change with my relationship with food. I was/am addicted to food in an unhealthy way. The band may provide a quick fix for awhile, but the health cost would have been enormous and my weight loss, well ... who knows. The sleeve is a permanent change which helps me to eat "normal" portions. That is something I have always wanted, but never had the ability to maintain. I love my sleeve. Don't look at this as a setback, it actually is the best thing that could have happened for you ... I know it. Continue to research the band and the sleeve. There is a forum here addressing band to sleeve conversions. Talk to everyone including the Dr who held the class. There is a reason he is doing sleeves now.

For me, when I ate too large of bites, didn't chew enough or ate too quickly would result in pain. As long as I avoid those 3 old habits, I'm OK. This is as true today as it was at 2 months out. 19 months out and last night, during the football game (Go Ducks!) I ate a chicken leg soaked in wing sauce and blue cheese dressing. Tasted wonderful, but I ate too much too quickly and I was hurting for about 15 minutes afterward. 19 months out and old habits are still present. But, for the most part, I am able to stay with my new habits.

07/08/2011 - It was outpatient with Dr Umbach in Las Vegas (baby!)

Really depends on your activity level and size. A couch potato is going to need far less than someone who is in the gym 5 days a week. What do you consider "losing weight"? 10 pounds a month? How active are you? How active are you willing to be?

Surgery on Friday, back to 3/4 time on Wednesday, full days the next Monday. Desk job as well.

Once you get your carbs back up and get out of ketosis, the whole taste thing begins to mellow out until everything goes back to normal. Like feedyoureye, there are some textures that I choose to avoid now because they don't agree with me.

When you say a "normal" stomach, do you mean the one that allows you to make 3 trips through the all-u-can-eat trough or the one that "normal" people have where they eat a well balanced, correctly portioned meal? If it is the first, I don't want that anymore and if it is the latter, than the procedure has given me a "normal" stomach, so ... I, too, had a hiatal hernia repair during my procedure. I had terrible reflux, but now, I do not battle it at all. Zero. It solved my problems with reflux and there is a good chance it will for you, too.